In our decoration and renovation annual, Home Solutions, we asked design experts to weigh in on dilemmas effecting every area of the home, from the kitchen to the children’s room – here’s what they advised. From style tips to important practical considerations, this web series charts a checklist of concerns for easy reference for your next household revamp or refresh.
Next up is the kitchen, which nowadays is used for dining and entertaining as well as a functional room where food is prepared.
• Galley and island kitchens are better than U-shaped ones for compact spaces, and have a more fashionable, sexy look.
• The island bench is often overlooked and treated merely as a functional piece, whereas it is a major part of the kitchen and should be beautifully designed by adding details such as sculpted legs, panelling or a dual-toned finish, which can really lift the whole room.
• Introduce additional light with concealed lighting beneath overhead cupboards, and bring natural light with a frosted or opaque glass splashback. Also, pendant lights over kitchen islands create an attractive area.
- Greg Natale, Greg Natale Design
• Make the best use of every inch by using the most appropriate hardware, fittings and surfaces. Imported drawers that can support up to 65kg of weight are great for the current trend of using cast-iron cookware.
• A workspace needs brighter lighting, but you have to be careful to direct it so that it doesn’t shine into users’ eyes. Choose LED lights as they save energy, are long-lasting and only exude low heat.
- Ban Lee, Point Living Design
• Incorporate overhead compartments and open shelves or corner cabinets with rotating shelving to maximise space and reduce clutter. In recent years, we’ve also seen the rise of the appliance cupboard, which is designed at bench height to store the most frequently used items such as the toaster, coffee machine and blender, so you don’t have to lift them out of the drawers.
• Simple functions, such as the opening direction of a cupboard or fridge, or the depth of drawers, can be easily overlooked – but they are crucial details that determine how efficient the kitchen space is.
- Frank Leung, Via Architecture
• Porcelain for a worktop material is genius, as the material is one of the toughest currently available, with striking colour variations and textures. For the higher end of the market, walls can now be clad in this thin and lightweight material, too.
• We are exploring the use of VeroMetal, which is a hard coating that can be sprayed onto almost any surface and allows us to create metal finishes in places that would otherwise be nearly impossible.
- Danielle Brutto, Hub Kitchens
